Magical 4 sided die of many colors
August 8, 2009 8:29 AM Subscribe
Lock 'n' Roll, a strategic matching game for a lazy Saturday.
Normally I am not a fan of flash games but this is simple yet fun. I got about 6000 points on my first attempt which I think is pretty good considering I didn't read either the rules or your description of the rules until I was well into it.
posted by Justinian at 9:10 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by Justinian at 9:10 AM on August 8, 2009
too many variables! AAaah!
posted by leotrotsky at 9:29 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by leotrotsky at 9:29 AM on August 8, 2009
Best I've been able to do so far is 2,200. No clue how some of these people are getting scores of 20,000+. Fun game, though.
posted by Prospero at 9:43 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by Prospero at 9:43 AM on August 8, 2009
Fun game, though the supposed "random" throw of the dice seems to be suspiciously exactly the dice that you do not need/want in any way. Still, good fun.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:47 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by Thorzdad at 9:47 AM on August 8, 2009
Up to 3,200 now. Note that you can place a joker on top of a die that is already locked. One strategy is to hold a joker in reserve until the grid is full, and then place it in an optimal spot--you have a good chance of earning enough points on that play to acquire another joker to replace the one you used.
posted by Prospero at 9:58 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by Prospero at 9:58 AM on August 8, 2009
Yeah, I never use jokers unless the game is going to end otherwise. I've hit about 6000 a few times but no more.
posted by Justinian at 10:08 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by Justinian at 10:08 AM on August 8, 2009
I didn't realize I could roll for more dice even if I placed just one. Because I am stupid.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:16 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:16 AM on August 8, 2009
3227!
It helped once I figured out that some combos make dice disappear.
posted by caution live frogs at 10:17 AM on August 8, 2009
It helped once I figured out that some combos make dice disappear.
posted by caution live frogs at 10:17 AM on August 8, 2009
The execution of this game is really well done. My only problem with it is the slow menus, but I learned that if you want to play again, instead of hitting reset, you can just roll the dice to start a new game. Surprisingly addictive and fun, although I'm sure my tone will change in about half an hour when I can't stop playing.
posted by stresstwig at 10:20 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by stresstwig at 10:20 AM on August 8, 2009
Got 4k and change without really working out which combos actually clear the board, using Jokers as get-out-of-fucked cards when I got stuck. Interesting stuff, but I definitely need to read up on clearing.
posted by cortex at 11:05 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by cortex at 11:05 AM on August 8, 2009
I didn't realize I could roll for more dice even if I placed just one. Because I am stupid.
WHAT? Oh god I will never stop playing now.
I'm at 8378 with a joker in my current game and placing the dice is taking longer and longer. I am starting to think way too hard about this game. It appeals to my OCD tendencies.
posted by Justinian at 11:38 AM on August 8, 2009
WHAT? Oh god I will never stop playing now.
I'm at 8378 with a joker in my current game and placing the dice is taking longer and longer. I am starting to think way too hard about this game. It appeals to my OCD tendencies.
posted by Justinian at 11:38 AM on August 8, 2009
You big liar, I placed 3 dice (out of 4) and I can't roll! LIAR.
posted by Justinian at 11:39 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by Justinian at 11:39 AM on August 8, 2009
Sorry! I meant lock/submit combos without placing all the dice first.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:57 AM on August 8, 2009
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:57 AM on August 8, 2009
Just lost at 10801. I appear to have been playing this game for 3 hours. I think I better stop.
posted by Justinian at 12:06 PM on August 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Justinian at 12:06 PM on August 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
17952, bitches.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 12:31 PM on August 8, 2009
posted by The Devil Tesla at 12:31 PM on August 8, 2009
Ten kadillion, bitches. With one die.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 12:44 PM on August 8, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 12:44 PM on August 8, 2009 [1 favorite]
Sorry! I meant lock/submit combos without placing all the dice first.
ARRRGH.
Sigh, this is the case and it means I had to play again with this knowledge. Being able to submit combos without placing all the dice is very powerful and I can see how to run up the score now. I'm at 9087 with two jokers (about to get +1000 points for a third joker) and the board is still clear except for one die.
I have things I need to get done today, dammit.
posted by Justinian at 1:09 PM on August 8, 2009
ARRRGH.
Sigh, this is the case and it means I had to play again with this knowledge. Being able to submit combos without placing all the dice is very powerful and I can see how to run up the score now. I'm at 9087 with two jokers (about to get +1000 points for a third joker) and the board is still clear except for one die.
I have things I need to get done today, dammit.
posted by Justinian at 1:09 PM on August 8, 2009
QUIT GETTING MAD AT ME I'M JUST AS TRAPPED BY THIS HELL GAME AS YOU ARE
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:15 PM on August 8, 2009
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:15 PM on August 8, 2009
Buhuhaha, I have trapped you with my flashy game thing. No productivity for you.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 1:29 PM on August 8, 2009
posted by The Devil Tesla at 1:29 PM on August 8, 2009
Buhuhaha, I have trapped you with my flashy game thing. No productivity for you.
Fuck you, Tesla! I didn't want to reveal this here, but I'm actually Rahm Emanuel. I accidentally told Putin to go fuck his mother because he was interrupting a sweet square of blue dice that I was setting up. Thanks for starting World War 3, asshole.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 1:35 PM on August 8, 2009
Fuck you, Tesla! I didn't want to reveal this here, but I'm actually Rahm Emanuel. I accidentally told Putin to go fuck his mother because he was interrupting a sweet square of blue dice that I was setting up. Thanks for starting World War 3, asshole.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 1:35 PM on August 8, 2009
Okay I quit at about 12500 for now because I have to go do something before I take root at the computer.
My impression is that after you get a couple dice on the board you should usually place dice only if you make a set that will clear, unless you have no choice. In other words if placing two dice lets you clear a set you should place those two dice, hit roll so the set clears, and then re-evaluate where the remaining two dice go.
All those 10, 40, or 60 point non- clearable sets are red herrings which you shouldn't even consider in your strategy. It's all about clearing sets as quickly as possible to keep the board from filling up too much.
I'm still a bit up in the air as to the best joker strategy. I'm not quite sure whether you're better off only using them when the board fills up and you have no other play or whether you should sometimes use them early when placing a joker will let you clear 3 sets at once and prevent the board from filling up in the first place.
Similarly, I'm not sure whether you want to start getting +1000 points for making a third joker while you already have two jokers or whether you should deliberately set it up so you can clear a bunch of sets with a joker right before you get a third joker: This should net you 500+ points anyway and clears out the board a ton, and I'm leaning towards the idea that clearing a bunch of sets off the board is worth more than an extra few hundred points from getting 1000 points instead of a joker.
Next up: The optimal strategy for eating a plate of beans.
posted by Justinian at 1:50 PM on August 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
My impression is that after you get a couple dice on the board you should usually place dice only if you make a set that will clear, unless you have no choice. In other words if placing two dice lets you clear a set you should place those two dice, hit roll so the set clears, and then re-evaluate where the remaining two dice go.
All those 10, 40, or 60 point non- clearable sets are red herrings which you shouldn't even consider in your strategy. It's all about clearing sets as quickly as possible to keep the board from filling up too much.
I'm still a bit up in the air as to the best joker strategy. I'm not quite sure whether you're better off only using them when the board fills up and you have no other play or whether you should sometimes use them early when placing a joker will let you clear 3 sets at once and prevent the board from filling up in the first place.
Similarly, I'm not sure whether you want to start getting +1000 points for making a third joker while you already have two jokers or whether you should deliberately set it up so you can clear a bunch of sets with a joker right before you get a third joker: This should net you 500+ points anyway and clears out the board a ton, and I'm leaning towards the idea that clearing a bunch of sets off the board is worth more than an extra few hundred points from getting 1000 points instead of a joker.
Next up: The optimal strategy for eating a plate of beans.
posted by Justinian at 1:50 PM on August 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
Damn it this thing is like crack. ~7200 the first go around and I haven't broke 3000 since.
posted by Mitheral at 2:05 PM on August 8, 2009
posted by Mitheral at 2:05 PM on August 8, 2009
How does that son of a bitch at #1 have ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE FREAKING THOUSAND wtf aaaaargh.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 4:20 PM on August 8, 2009
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 4:20 PM on August 8, 2009
I got up to 25000 or so and the game blew up.
I think that once you've got the strategy down you can go on pretty much indefinitely.
posted by painquale at 10:43 PM on August 8, 2009
I think that once you've got the strategy down you can go on pretty much indefinitely.
posted by painquale at 10:43 PM on August 8, 2009
You just made me feel bad, painquale.
Part of the problem is that I lose focus after several rolls. Not after several games, mind you, just several rolls.
posted by palliser at 5:22 AM on August 9, 2009
Part of the problem is that I lose focus after several rolls. Not after several games, mind you, just several rolls.
posted by palliser at 5:22 AM on August 9, 2009
Some additional notes--
--Jokers are most effective when they're placed in one of the center four squares of the grid--a good strategy centers around the expectation that you'll place a joker there.
--I agree with Justinian that it's best to burn a joker instead of getting the 1,000-point bonus. In general, the best position to be in is to have two jokers, and close to getting a third. Too many jokers, and you'll waste one for a measly 1,000 points (at a time when it probably costs at least 1,500 points to get a joker in the first place); too few, and you'll eventually become dependent on drawing to one or more natural (non-joker) clears.
--The luck of the first four rolls has a huge influence on the rest of the game. Ideally, you want two natural clears before you use your first joker--that way, you're more likely to be in the optimal position of having two jokers, which is important in later stages of the game when jokers are more expensive. All of my games with scores higher than 5,000 have begun with me acquiring two jokers before I used my first.
posted by Prospero at 3:43 PM on August 9, 2009
--Jokers are most effective when they're placed in one of the center four squares of the grid--a good strategy centers around the expectation that you'll place a joker there.
--I agree with Justinian that it's best to burn a joker instead of getting the 1,000-point bonus. In general, the best position to be in is to have two jokers, and close to getting a third. Too many jokers, and you'll waste one for a measly 1,000 points (at a time when it probably costs at least 1,500 points to get a joker in the first place); too few, and you'll eventually become dependent on drawing to one or more natural (non-joker) clears.
--The luck of the first four rolls has a huge influence on the rest of the game. Ideally, you want two natural clears before you use your first joker--that way, you're more likely to be in the optimal position of having two jokers, which is important in later stages of the game when jokers are more expensive. All of my games with scores higher than 5,000 have begun with me acquiring two jokers before I used my first.
posted by Prospero at 3:43 PM on August 9, 2009
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This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
The game doesn't tell you this, so I'm telling you know. The game revolves around matching the dice into groups of 4, and these groups are counted from the rows, the columns, the diagonals, the corners, and in squares. You don't have much room to place pieces and make mistakes, but you do have a lot of chances to make matches within the small space.
The game gives you 4 dice to start out with. After you get them situated how you want them, press roll again and the ones on the board are locked in place and you get 4 new ones.
The game revolves around the 4 matches that are cleared off the board once locked (these can be referenced by clicking info --> rules and tips). The other matches should only be attempted once a group of 4 has already be compromised (will happen) and even then that shouldn't be a high priority. After making clearing matches the highest priority is making groups of 3 that could become a match if the next piece is rolled. Having as many of these as possible means that you are more likely to clear something off the board each turn.
The top is reserved for jokers, which you earn each time you pass an increasingly high point barrier. Make sure that each time you use a joker you use it to complete more than just one group of 4 and you'll do great.
A lot of the times when you can get in trouble in this game even when following the above is when you try to complete two of the same kind of match at the same time (like two red straights or two 4 of a kinds). Those always seem to linger on the board for too long.
Thanks for reading my ramblings on a game I really like. Play and enjoy!
posted by The Devil Tesla at 8:31 AM on August 8, 2009